The Inheritance Of The Wise

Itaque sicut iis quae in quodam censu imprudentiae atque intemperantiae sunt, abdicat se prudentia, abdicat continentia: ita eorum exsors omnis insipiens est atque incontinens, quae in bonis atque in haerediatet sapientis viri sunt et continentis. Denique santae illae tali conjugio Lia et Rachel, una laboriosa, altera aspirato fortis, refugientes non generis necessitudinem, sed morum discrepantiam; cum viri exerciti Jacob sermone edocatae essent, quod vellet discedere, ut Laban et filiorum ejus invidiam declinaret atque ignaviam, responderunt: Numquid est nobis portio aut haereditas in domo patris nostri? Nonne sicut alienae aestimamur ei? Vendidit enim nos, et devoravit pretium nostrum. Ecce primum, quia ignavus et invidus laboriosam et disciplinae tenacem alienart a se ac defugit, seseque cupit separare; quoniam eas oneri esse cernit sibi, putat se lucrum fecisse, quod alienavit eas, et hoc esse suum pretium judicat, eumque fructum voluptatis. Nunc audiamus quomodo quae habet virtus, non habeat ignavia; aiunt enim: Omnes divitiae et gloria, quam tulit Deus petri nostro, nobis erit, et filiis nostris. Merito, Deo arbitro, dicunt esse sublata, quia ipse est auctor bonorum, cujus gratia ignavi exuuntur; quia decorem haereditatis divinae capere improbi atque infirmi non queunt: succedit autem intentus, et spiritum in se fortis habens. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Epistola XXVII, Ad Irenaeum Source: Migne PL 16.1047b-1048a

Thus as wisdom and continence are removed from those who are found in the register of imprudence and intemperance, so the foolish and incontinent man is without a share in the inheritance of the wise and continent. Again, those women sanctified by their marriage, Leah and Rachel, the one name meaning laborious, the other strong breath, not shrinking from family ties but averse to a difference of manners, when taught by the much tried Jacob that he wished to depart that he avoid the envy and sloth of Laban and his sons, answered, 'Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? Are we not judged to be strangers by him? He has sold us and devoured our money.' 1 Behold first that the slothful and envious man alienates himself from strict discipline and flies from it, desiring to separate himself from it, because he sees that it will be a burden to him, and he judges he has profited to do so, and it is the fruit of his pleasure. Now let us hear how virtue has what sloth has not: they say, 'All the riches which God has taken from our father, shall be ours, and our children's.' 2 Rightly do they say that they were removed by God's judgement, for He is the creator of the good, for the sake of which slothful men are deprived; for immoral and weak men do not seek to grasp the beauty of the Divine inheritance; it is the resolute man who succeeds, he who has in himself a strong spirit. Saint Ambrose, from Letter 27, To Ireneaus. 1 Gen 31.14-15 2 Gen 31.26